Patriot Games
by LadyCordeliaStuart
Summary: Follow Rhoda Hamilton of District One as she follows an unconventional path to Victory.
1. Chapter 1

Rhoda Hamilton, District One

When I opened my eyes, I was back in the Games Center hospital room. I knew what that meant. I would have been excited, but until I got a very important question answered, I was terrified.

"How long has it been?" I asked the nurse by the bed. I almost died with relief when she smiled.

"About seven months," she said. I covered my eyes with my hands and sighed in relief.

"Wait, why are we having a Resurrection Games in the middle of the year?" I asked.

"You're better off asking someone else," the nurse said. She brought in some more medical staff and they checked me over. I sat for a few impatient hours as they filled out charts and checked all my vitals. They finally pronounced me free and I was out of there like lightning. Peridot was waiting for me outside the door.

"Guess who's going back into the Games? Not me, unfortunately," she said. She started down the hall and I followed.

"So what's the deal?" I asked. I was so curious about it all, it didn't occur to me to think about the fact that I was dead yesterday.

"A lot of people were pretty pissed when you died," Peridot said as we speedwalked. "It was pretty awesome, to be honest. There were riots in the streets. People were smashing windows and burning torches. I haven't had so much fun since my Games. Anyway, people were sending petitions to the Capitol to get you raised up so you could go back to being pretty and whatever. Normally they'd just ignore it, but the Capitol likes you, too. You're the ideal citizen of Panem. So they rigged up a little something."

"They let me come back?" I asked. I didn't think they liked me that much. I was popular, but so popular I broke every rule of the Games?

"Not exactly," Peridot said. We reached a room at the end of the hall and I saw a bunch of familiar faces. Other people were still trickling in. I saw Onyx on one couch and gave him the side-eye.

"What is this, a mini Career Games?" I asked. "No wait, there's Jack."

"Once everyone gets here, Tits over there will explain it," Peridot said, pointing at Head Gamemaker Titian Qin. I stifled a laugh and snorted at the irreverent nickname. I took a spot on one of the couches and we all looked around at each other awkwardly. I counted fifteen of us, which probably meant we were missing one. Margo Caspian from a few years back walked through the door, and we all looked at Titian expectantly.

"I suppose you're wondering why I've gathered you," he said. "You're all here for a very special purpose. You're some of the best and brightest of Panem. In recognition of your valor, the Capitol has selected you for a once-in-a-lifetime chance."

"Bull," Peridot said under her breath. They had a neat cover story, but we knew the drill. They might not give me any special treatment, but this shenanigan was because of me. I hoped I was worth it.

"You will all go through a series of trials that will test your merit, your mettle, and most importantly, your loyalty. The Tribute that rises to the top will be crowned Victor and will enjoy a position as the Capitol's loyal servant," Titian said. Some of the others groaned, but I was ready to fight for it. This was my second chance to repay Panem. I'd give anything for it.

"You may have noticed a certain distinction among yourselves," Titian went on. Some of you represent the valorous side of the Capitol. Others," he looked at Beth, "represent the regrettably necessary forceful side."

"So we're the heroes and villains," Mary Ellen said. "Heroes suck."

I knew which side I was on. I looked my teammates over. They were a bunch of the greatest Careers to ever have victory elude them. I was proud to be on their team.


	2. I Do Mean BLOODbath

**The Heroes:**

 **Rhoda Hamilton- Into Thin Air**

 **Steel Keshmin- The Killer Elite**

 **Belisarius Komenus- 28th Hunger Games SYOT**

 **Theo Kasius- We All Fall Down**

 **Lyte Anderson- In Your Hands**

 **Kisarna Talent- In Your Hands**

 **Troy Cahill- Back to Normal**

 **Margo Caspian- Over and Over**

 **The Villains:**

 **Beth O'Darielle- Your Vote Matters**

 **Torchy Conden- Your Vote Matters**

 **Onyx Soul- Into Thin Air**

 **Jack Void- All-Stars Non-Careers**

 **Severa Bronx- first Hunger Games (not SYOT)**

 **Alazyea Mont- 24 Years, 24 Tributes**

 **Mary Ellen Westley- Power to the People**

 **Luxen Linderman- Back to Normal**

One of these things was not like the other. My team included Steel Keshmin, one of the earlier competitors and one of the greatest patriots in Panem's history. It had Belisarius Komenus, brother of Victor Makarios Komenus. Then there was a little boy from Six. Of course Lyte would be a hero. He was also a shrimp. Luckily for him, he was _also_ a medic. So things worked out nicely for him. He had seven teammates all watching out for anyone who would threaten their source of first aid.

Nobody had to tell us who we were. The Heroes and Villains quickly sorted themselves out and segregated themselves to opposite sides of the room. The two groups made two huddles as they discussed strategy. Some of the villains played up their roles and jeered at us from across the room. Titian came back in after maybe an hour, and we all stopped and faced him.

"Have you had time to get acquainted?" he asked.

"SIR YES SIR!" Steel screamed out of nowhere. Half of us turned to look at her, and she reddened slightly.

"Then I trust you're ready for the first stage of the Patriot Games," Titian said. A few surprised exclamations sounded across the room.

"It's not as though any of you need time to train," Titian said. "I'm sure you're all raring to get started. So let's start Stage One."

"What's Stage One?" Theo asked. Titian looked at him with perturbation.

"AS I was about to say, Stage One is mortal combat. There will be an Arena adjusted for the size and skills of the competitors. When eight of you are dead, the seven remaining graduate to Stage Two," Titian said.

"When do we start?" Margo asked. Titian looked down at his wristwatch.

He looked up. "Just kidding. It starts now." Fourteen tubes dropped from the ceiling of the underground room we were in. After some jostling, we all found a slot- the Heroes on one side of the circle, the Villains on the other.

It was so sudden I could hardly believe I was in the Arena again. The tube rose up in seconds and there I was. But Titian wasn't kidding about the "adjusted" thing. The "Arena" was a round white room with nothing in it but a Cornucopia brimming with weapons. The walls and floor were seamless white, and there were no exits. The Gamemakers didn't want to wait long. Titian's face appeared over the Cornucopia.

"Fifty-nine, fifty-eight- oh, I'm too impatient. Just start fighting!" he said. The gong sounded as we all burst into action.

It might not have been a good idea to make a team of nothing but villains. Jack jumped straight off his platform and grabbed Luxen from behind. Luxen was dead before any of us even reached the Cornucopia. Mary Ellen was similarly disloyal. She got to the Cornucopia, grabbed the first knife she saw, and stabbed her teammate Alayzea with it. Severa Bronx was from the first Games. She thought she'd be the only one to actually run in. She didn't expect to be competing with half a dozen Careers. Onyx had her bleeding out before she touched a weapon.

Without saying anything, Steel and I formed an instant alliance. We'd spoken in the hour before the Games, and I admired her loyalty as much as she admired my patriotism. We watched each other's backs as we grabbed our weapons from the fray. Three of us were dead in the first ten seconds. We only needed five more.

I wanted to go straight for Onyx, but I had to proritise. Jack was the closest. He was pulling his machete from Torchy's chest when I decapitated him with my sword. Two more were down. Then a gunshot rang out.

 _WHAT?_ I thought. There were no guns in the Arena. I followed the noise and saw Onyx and Kisarna on the ground wrestling over a handgun. I was so shocked I froze for an instant. It could have gotten me killed if everyone else hadn't also been surprised into a standstill. Beth dove behind the Cornucopia at the noise, and the Tributes near the pair backed away from the volatile combat. Kisarna wrenched the gun away from Onyx and shot him through the head as he tried to sit up. She shot Mary Ellen as the other girl drew back a spear to throw at her.

Everyone else was carrying short-range weapons. Kisarna stood with her back to the Cornucopia and looked around at all of us, daring one of us to come at her and make her choice easier. She looked at each of us in turn and deliberated, aiming her gun at the head of whoever she was judging. She didn't bother to go around and find Beth. She wasn't a threat. Her eyes skimmed over Steel dismissively. She smirked at Lyte and didn't afford him more than an instant. I was forming a plan to disarm her when the shot rang out. Theo's head burst open and he crumpled. The walls of the Arena fell away to reveal Titian standing outside in a larger room.

"That took... three minutes and sixteen seconds," he said. "Very impressive. Congratulations to those still alive. Next stop: Phase Two."

* * *

 **That went by fast, but that's not the end of the action. Seven more people still have to die somehow.**


	3. Stage Two

**This is turning out a little darker than I expected, so just warning you all.**

* * *

We got a day to rest before it was time for Stage Two. It was hardly Heroes and Villains anymore, since Beth was the only villain left. On the other hand, Kisarna was hardly one of us anymore. It would be most unfortunate for her if the next phase required any teamwork.

Titian was there again to greet us when we filed back into the room where we met him the first time. He welcomed us all with a friendly wave as we formed ourselves into a line.

"So nice to see you all. I have some wonderful news for you. No one has to die today." he paused and laughed to himself. "Well, none of you, anyway."

"The Capitol wants only the most capable of you. Stage One tested your physical capabilities. Stage Two will test your mental capabilities. Don't worry, it's not an intelligence test. We don't care about that. We care about your ability to follow orders. We've set up something that should tell us just that," Titian continued. He gestured toward a trapdoor in the wall. I'd noticed it and was wondering what it was, along with the shiny section of floor underneath it.

"One at a time, each of you will come forward and stand beside me. As you do so, the door will revolve and reveal a chair. That chair will contain a prisoner. Hanging on the wall beside the chair, you will find a switch. Pull the switch and you will electrocute the chair, executing the prisoner. Pull the switch and you pass. It's as simple as that. If you all pull, you all pass. If you fail, I take care of things," Titian said with a smile. He pulled a handgun from his pocket and pointed it at the air, violating every rule of weapons safety.

"I am so in," Beth said from the end of the line. I wasn't as enthusiastic. That didn't sound like the Panem I knew. Titian saw a few of us were uneasy.

"You needn't feel guilty. The prisoners are criminals. They would have been executed anyway. Now, let's start at the end of the line. Margo, you're first," he said.

"No problem," Margo said. She walked confidently to Titian and stood beside him. The platform slowly revolved and the chair came into view. The person sitting in it was wearing a hood and baggy clothes, making it impossible to determine gender or age. The chair was made of wood, and there were metal straps holding the prisoner in place. Whoever it was, they weren't moving. They might have already been dead, but I suspected they were just resigned. The switch next to the chair was a large wooden toggle. To set it off, Margo would have to take hold of it and pull it down like a mousetrap. She walked over and pulled it without hesitation.

It wasn't as dramatic as I'd feared. The prisoner stiffened and his head jerked back tight against the restraints. There was an audible hum of electricity for only a second, and then the voltage cut out and the prisoner slumped forward. There was one less criminal in Panem.

"Congratulations. We have our first successful candidate," Titian said. Troy went next and passed with flying colors. Beth then passed with even more flying colors, since she pulled the switch twice.

"Up next, Lyte," Titian said. The boy walked to Titian and stood with his hands behind his back as the platform came around. He didn't move when the chair came into place. Seconds passed the the room fell into dead silence.

"Pull the switch," Titian prodded.

"No," Lyte said. Titian forced a smile, and we all saw his nervous tic.

"It's just a criminal. He's going to die anyway," he said.

"No," Lyte said. Titian hardened his voice.

"This is very disappointing. It seems we have our first failure," he said. He took out his gun. Steel gasped beside me and took a step forward, but he didn't see her behind him. Titian raised the gun and blew out Lyte's brains. He left the body there as he turned back to us, flecks of blood on his face.

"Next up is Kisarna Talent." Kisarna stepped right over Lyte and pulled the switch. Belisarius passed next, after a nervous glance at Titian and a guilty look at the prisoner.

Steel was next. I was worried for her. She'd started crying when Titian shot Lyte, and she shot him a dirty look as she walked by him. She stopped with her hand above the switch.

"This is a criminal?" she asked for clarification.

"On Death Row," Titian assured her.

"He's been convicted by a jury?" she asked.

"Of course," Titian said. Steel didn't appear to put any stock in his opinion, but she had faith in the justice system, just like me. She pulled the lever.

Then it was all me. Steel watched nervously like I'd watched her. My shoe left a bloody footprint after I stepped through Lyte's blood. I approached my prisoner and took stock. Killing was nothing new to me. This was even easier than usual. The prisoner was here because he'd been judged a danger to society. It was a dirty job, but it kept Panem safe. It wasn't hard. I pulled the switch.


	4. Nice Light Chapter No Torture Here

**This story was getting a little sugary. I decided it needed some darker stuff.**

* * *

We had another night to recover before stage three. We all had our own rooms, but Steel and I stayed together in mine. I wished I had met her before. She never should have gotten Reaped. Panem needed Peacekeepers like her.

"That wasn't right," Steel said from the bed we had the Avoxes roll in. "They shouldn't have done that to Lyte."

"Yeah. I didn't like that either," I said. "I mean, criminals sometimes have to die, but he didn't do anything." It had been sticking in my head ever since it happened. The first phase I could understand. Panem needed the strongest. I understood obedience to authority, too, but what they did wasn't necessary. It saddened me to think some people abused their power that way. There were always a few bad apples in any government, but I was sad Lyte died because of it.

"This isn't the Panem I was born in," Steel whispered. "I used to be proud to be a Peacekeeper."

"Oh yeah, you were a long time back, right? That must be weird," I said. Steel had been born around forty years ago. She probably remembered the very first Games. "What was it like back then?"

"It wasn't like this. They didn't shoot children. We had to be careful, because sometimes people got violent, but not like this. I'm not sure I'll get through this. They said those were criminals and they deserved it. I believed it then, but I'm not sure I will if they tell me to do it again," Steel said. I wasn't sure I wasn't the same way. I'd always loved my country and thought the people who ran it had our best interests in mind. They sure didn't have Lyte's best interests in mind. Maybe I was being too idealistic. No one was perfect. Every country had its dark underside. I hoped ours wasn't as big as I was starting to be afraid of.

* * *

Stage Three involved some very ominous-looking equipment. Avoxes helped fit me into black uniforms that covered my entire bodie below my neck. A team of doctors came next and checked the fit of the outfit. Then they smeared cold gel on my temples and stuck some wires on by suction cup.

When we were ready, we paraded into another room. The walls and floor were black, and they were lit with a network of green lights that were set into them so they looked like a circuit board. In the middle of the room, there was a flat round table set directly into the floor at knee height. On a white platform set into one side of the room, Titian was waiting for us.

"I hope you're ready for Stage Three," he said. "I suppose you've noticed the table in the middle of the room. Very soon, you'll all be taking a seat there. We've tested your strength and your devotion. Next, we want to see your endurance. The table and your outfits are part of the same network. On my signal, you'll arrange yourselves around the table and place your right hand upon it. I'll start the test by pressing this button." he held up a button from his pocket. "When I do, impulses generated by the mechanism inside the table will flow into you through your hands. This will be very painful, and it will only get worse for every second of the test. It will also be amplified by receivers in your suits and the electrodes on your heads. To pass this stage, all you have to do is keep your hand on the table. Keep your hand on the table longer than three of your tablemates."

"That is some messed up shit," Troy said.

"Gonna crap right out, are you? I'll dance on your grave," Beth said. Troy didn't gratify her with a response. I looked at Titian, dispassionately waiting to see who was going to die, and felt a little more of my patriotism die.

Steel and I sat next to each other on our knees at the table. We looked at each other with wide eyes, and I knew she was as scared as I was as we waited for Titian to start the test. My hand felt exposed and naked on the table. I had never been so aware of any part of my body.

Titian didn't give us a warning. One second we were waiting, and then a jolt of the worst pain I'd ever felt shot through my hand and spread through my body almost as soon as I registered it. I'd been leaning forward to collect myself, and it might have saved my life. I flinched forward instead of back, and my weight suppressed the instinct to yank my hand away. We all looked over at the sound of Beth's scream and saw her jump up and away from the table. My already racing heart lurched sideways, even though I hated her. None of us wanted to know what would happen to her.

We all found out anyway. Beth's suit crackled and visible tendrils of electricity danced across her body. Her head twisted back horribly as she convulsed and fell. We could smell her burning flesh and see it blacken as she contorted stiffly into a crablike shape. One of her eyes burst like a microwaved egg and bubbled as it oozed from the socket. Through the whole sight, the pain was still coursing through me, but my brain had so much to process, I almost didn't feel it until after her legs stopped drumming on the floor.

I forced my eyes away and back toward Steel. She was looking straight across the table and her face was entirely without expression. Her back was straight and her knees were meticulously parted in a perfect military pose. She didn't seem to be in any pain at all.

Nothing natural could have caused pain like that. It was like a living blade shoved itself into my arm and was burrowing into my bones, scraping them out from the inside. It went past my patriotism and ambition. The only thing that kept me alive was fear of letting go. The nearly inaudible hum of the machinery grew louder, and the pain spiked. My back arched involuntarily and I started to whimper. I wasn't the only one. Tears were streaming down Margo's face, and Belisarius was hyperventilating.

"Stop it. Please stop it," he started to beg. "Let us out. Please." We all looked up from our private pains as we sensed what was coming. The horror gave us another instant of respite from the pain. Belisarius shrieked and pulled his hand away. I looked back at Steel, but I couldn't block the smell.

Maybe ten seconds passed. Maybe ten hours passed. At some point I forgot I wasn't breathing and had to remind myself to take in air. The agony penetrated into parts of my mind I could never consciously access. I wished it would burst out from inside my head and tear my brain apart so I couldn't feel it anymore. The air was saturated with the sound of someone's screams. Maybe more than one person's.

I looked at Steel again, and the edges of my vision were red. She was still blank-faced. Her eyes were faraway and there was a perverse serenity in her stillness. I wished she would look back at me. I didn't know how much longer I had. I wanted her to see me again before I went. I hoped she won.

The smell of charred flesh filled my nose again. The pain winked out. I opened my mouth to scream, because I thought I had pulled away without knowing it. But when I looked down, my hand was still on the table. I folded forward and fell flat onto the table. I was empty without the pain filling me up. Across the table, Troy's twisted body fell across Margo's lap. The test was over. Steel didn't have to be at attention anymore. She laid her hand in her lap and started to cry.


	5. Phase Four

**By comparison, this one actually is lighter. And I do enjoy Survivor and have seen that season, but the Heroes v Villains thing was Tracelyn's idea and I thought it was cool. I _have_ been thinking about a Hunger Games/Survivor crossover sort of SYOT in the HG universe but with elements of Survivor, though.**

* * *

"I don't think I want to win anymore," Steel said that night. "I don't want to serve this country."

"You could win it easy. I saw you at the table. How did you do that?" I asked.

"Peacekeepers see out their orders. Nothing moves you when you're at attention," Steel said. "But I only joined because I thought the orders were worthwhile. Maybe they were back then. I wish they'd never brought me back."

"Want to hear something really silly?" I asked Steel.

"What is it?" she asked. I smiled at the memory.

"I was a model before the Games," I said.

"Yeah, that is silly," Steel said sarcastically. "You're hideous."

"They used to call me Panem's Sweetheart," I said. The memory had lost its luster. I could remember when I used to be proud of it. It used to be I thought it was worth something. "But it's not true."

"You seem pretty sweethearted to me," Steel said.

"No, not that. Panem doesn't have a heart," I said.

* * *

Stage Four was held in a different room. There was one large room with two doors set into the far wall. Titian stood between them like some horrible parody of a games show host.

"Congratulations. You're the top four out of sixteen. But that doesn't really matter, does it? Go big or go home. No second prizes. This next test is to determine your ability to work with others. The Capitol values a team player. We're also very accommodating. You can go ahead and select your own partners," he said. Steel and I stood off to one side. Margo and Kisarna were almost as fast to find each other. They'd probably bonded just like we had. It was sort of funny, but we were back to where we started: Heroes and Villains. Margo and Kisarna, two classical, merciless Careers. Me and Steel, the backslidden patriots. If I could even all myself a hero. I'd killed half a dozen people. Maybe it was just three villains and Steel.

"This next test is very complicated, so please listen carefully. Behind me there are two doors. Each door leads to a divided room containing two chairs, two desks, and a wall to separate them. In a few moments, each of you will enter one of those rooms along with your partner. From there, you will each take a seat in one of the chairs. After that, you will not be able to see your partner," Titian said.

"How many of us have to die this time?" Kisarna interrupted.

"No one. Not necessarily. But this is where it gets complicated, so perhaps listen more and talk less. On the desk in front of your chair, you will see a large red button. The color is not important. That's just for drama. The important thing is what that button does. Press that button, and your partner will be killed."

"What happens if we don't press it?" I asked.

"It's entirely your choice. No harm will come of you just because you don't press the button. But it's not that simple," Titian said. "There are four options. Option A: neither of you press the button. Neither of you die. Option B: partner A presses the button. Partner B dies. Option C: Partner B presses the button. Partner A dies. Option D: both partners press the button. What do you suppose happens then?" Titian asked.

"Both partners die," Margo said.

" _Ehhh_..." Titian imitated a buzzer. "If both partners press the button, the partner that presses second dies. So it's all up to you. If you trust your partner, there's no need to press the button. But wouldn't it be nice to have one more Tribute eliminated? Maybe you don't trust your partner so much after all," Titian said. "But it's all up to you. Ready to start?"

Steel took the desk just inside the door. I went through the inner door to the desk on the other side. As I walked away, we looked at each other one last time. We tried to divine each others' souls through our eyes. I wished we could have discussed things, but they didn't give us any time. I sat in the metal chair and faced the giant red button.

"You have five minutes to decide, but I suggest you decide faster than that. Your time starts... now," Titian said. The button stared at me from the desk. My hands were in my lap. I wondered how lightly I could rest my hand on the button, and how much pressure it would take before it went off. I wondered if it was a quick death, or would Steel dance like Beth.

I felt my breath swelling my chest. I was aware of my nose between my eyes, and the sound of my heart seemed loud and insistent. I imagined Steel on the other side. Peacekeepers kept the peace, she said. Did that mean pressing the button was an aggression to her and she wouldn't do it? Or did she interpret Titian's words as orders to eliminate me? Peacekeepers see orders through, she said.

The button was the cause of all my fears, but it was the only thing that could dispel them. I was shaking in my chair, and I glanced around every few seconds, worried I'd see a gun at my head for an instant before it all ended. That was the worst part of all- the suddenness of it. If I had to die, I wanted to know it was coming. I didn't want to be like Beth- alive one instant and then dead before my brain even knew it. Every second in that room, I lived with that possibility. At any instant, everything could cut out.

What was Steel thinking there in the next room? Was she deliberating over what course of action to take? Did she know what she had to do, and was just summoning the courage? I was only sure of one thing: my actions weren't a factor to her. She would do what she thought was right.

That was what decided it for me. Even if Steel thought Titian's orders were to kill me, she wouldn't do it. She didn't think it was right anymore. Just like my actions, the Capitol's orders were now irrelevant to her. She didn't think it was right to push that button, or she would have pushed it already. There was nothing to be afraid of.

The next three or so minutes were as light as air. I felt invincible and immortal. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I wasn't going to die in that test. The button lost its terror and looked laughably oversized and tacky on the desk. I wanted to see Steel again and feel how close we'd become through this. I only wished she could be as certain as I was that she was safe. But I imagined that by now, she'd come to the same conclusion. Titian's voice came from over a microphone.

"Time's up! Come on out!"

I opened the door to Steel's room. She was still there, and she came toward me as soon as I got through the door. Seeing her made joy and relief swell up inside me, and we both went in for a hug at the same time. We squeezed each other like sisters, and we held hands as we went out to meet Titian. He was standing in his same spot. Blood stained the carpet outside the other door.

"Congratulations. It seems trust isn't dead after all. Which is more than can be said for some people," he said, looking down at the bloodstain.

"Who pushed the button?" Steel asked.

"Both of them," Titian said.

"Who was first?" Steel asked.

"Kisarna," Titian said.

"So where is she?" Steel asked.

"Dead," Titian said.

"What? You said whoever pressed first lived," I said.

"We lied," Titian said.

"What?!" Steel asked. It was almost heartwarming that she still looked shocked. Titian smiled.

"Anyone who presses the button dies. You both press the button, you both die. Kisarna and Margo both pressed the button the second the timer started. We didn't tell you that part because it might have affected your calculations. Did you think the Capitol wanted someone who would betray a partner? Now we know we can trust you," Titian said.

 _And now we know we can't trust you._


	6. Phase Five

**Titian used to be a minor character with minimal personality. I'm not sure when he metamorphosized into Jigsaw, but I'll roll with it. I just used him because it seemed the Head Gamemaker would be the one doing this, but then this came out. I'll have to remember the change for future Games.**

* * *

Everything was different going into the fifth stage. My perspective had shattered and reformed. When the tests started, I'd wanted to prove I was the best and earn a chance to serve with the best. Other than Steel, the best of us were already dead. Whoever won was only the best at surviving. Steel and I were playing a different game now. We weren't trying to please Titian anymore. We were trying not to let him see how much we feared and hated him. The winner would be whoever could keep that hidden for longer.

"My, the time has flown. Already we're down to two," Titian said when we entered his room of horrors.

"I have some good news for you. From now on, none of the tests have a failure quota. If you both pass, we have plenty more waiting. Of course, the difficulty is much higher now that there are only two of you. It shouldn't take long for one of you to rise to the top," he said. He noticed Steel and I were holding hands and smirked to himself.

"This next test isn't as technically complex as some of the others," he said. He took two handguns from his pocket and dangled them as he continued. I could see where this was going. Steel and I would each get one. He'd see who shot first. "We know you're strong, obedient, endurant, and trustworthy. We want to see how far that goes. This test, which may well be the final one, will measure your devotion. We know you love the Capitol, but maybe there's something else you love more. If so, we have no use for you.

"It's a very simple test. Behind me are two doors." Relief washed over me. If it was a duel, they'd have given us the guns right here. "Shortly, you will enter the one marked with your name. Inside, you will find a condemned criminal. Execute the criminal within five minutes and pass the test. It's nothing you haven't done before. It should be easy."

The gun Titian handed me was loaded. I could tell by the weight. The Capitol really trusted me, or else they didn't value Titian very highly. In this case they were right, though. Killing him wasn't worth my life to me. But unlike before, I didn't believe his instructions. It wouldn't be that easy, not on the fifth stage. I suspected this wasn't a test of devotion, but of reflexes or quick-thinking skills. There was probably an assassin on the other side of the door. I hoped Steel was as suspicious as I was. But she opened the door and stepped inside. My heart skipped, but there was no sound and no blood sprayed into the outer room. Then it was testing something else, or the assassin was farther inside. All the same, I stood outside the door and tapped it lightly.

"Rhoda?" a voice came from inside. I wished it wasn't so familiar. I tucked the gun into my pocket, opened the door and revealed the most horrible sight of the entire ordeal.

I hadn't seen Adonis in ages, since before I volunteered. He and I went back to one of both of our first photoshoots: an advertisement for Fanciful Fizzlers candy when we were both six years old. We'd been together in the crazy world of fashion and photography ever since. Eventually I tried to get him to train with me, but he was both spastic and far too soft-hearted. He liked pretty things and glamor, not blood and guts. I used to think he was a little flighty, but now I wondered if he wasn't a lot smarter than I was. As soon as I got inside he went in for a hug. I was so glad to see him and to see anything still pure and happy that for a second, the conclusion eluded me.

Titian wasn't lying this time. It really was a test of devotion. My face went stiff even as I pretended to be as eager as Adonis was. I knew what he was going to say next even before he said it. The pinprick marks on his arms only proved it. He let me go and held my hand.

"They think I'm a rebel! You wouldn't believe what they've been doing. But it's okay now. They said you were coming to vouch for me. All the way back from the dead, Rhoda! You're the best friend ever!" he said. "Come on, let's go tell them. They'll believe you. You're Panem's Sweetheart!"

I had as much time as it took Adonis to say that to make my decision. Again, my perspective shattered, and my priorities rearranged once more. I wasn't loyal to the Capitol anymore. I'd thought maybe I was still loyal to something. Friends, or family, or morality. Maybe I wasn't loyal to anything. Or maybe it wasn't that simple.

The pricks on his arm were damning evidence. If they were torturing him, they really did suspect him. I couldn't imagine why, but it was true. My decision didn't matter for him. Adonis was going to die no matter what. I saw now that suspects didn't leave Capitol courts. This test was an amalgamation of all that came before it. It tested my strength to kill, my obedience to Capitol decisions, my threshold for pain an account of them, and my craftiness. It was the same multilayered game they played with the buttons. The rules were hidden, just like then. If I didn't shoot, he still died.

My decision was made. The last important factor was to hide how difficult it was. Dead was dead. It didn't matter how I went about it, or what Adonis thought of me before he died. If I did it sneakily, or mercifully, they would doubt the fullness of my devotion and enthusiasm for their orders. So I did it exactly how they would want. I took out the gun and leveled it at Adonis' face. To my relief, his face showed me he thought I was joking, or that I had a plan. He trusted me. I looked him in the eyes when I did it. As he fell, I smiled on the outside.

There was blood on Steel's open door when I rejoined Titian. A Peacekeeper stepped outside carrying a wailing, blood-spattered girl. Adult trials started at twelve years old in rare cases. The girl was right on that mark. I didn't look inside to see what Steel left behind.

"Congratulations, Rhoda," Titian said. I smelled Adonis' coppery blood, and warm specks of it were sticky on my face. "I can't say I'm surprised. We were all hoping you'd come through. And of course you did. You're the ideal example of Panem citizenship. Let's get you cleaned up, sweetheart."


	7. Epilogue

The best of us was gone. Steel and I faced the same decision and reached opposite conclusions. She was from a different time, and back then, it sounded like there was something worth respecting in Panem. She was stronger than me. They couldn't change her. They never would have been able to use her for their ends. They removed a threat when they killed her. If people like her remained in Panem, they wouldn't be able to stay the way they were. If she'd gone into politics instead of security, they never would have arisen.

After they washed the blood off me and changed my clothes, I was summoned to a debriefing with Titian and the other Gamemakers. I sat at the foot of a black marble table laden with all sorts of treats and luxuries that made me sick just to look at. Peridot was next to me, and it was wonderful to have someone who actually cared. Naturally, Titian was the first to speak.

"I'm sure we're all very pleased to welcome Rhoda to our team," he said, and the others murmured their agreement. I recognized Theodora and some of the others from my private session. Caesar was there as well, looking very overwhelmed by the stature of the people around him.

"Now it's time to discuss your prize. As the winner of the Patriot Games, you will be joining the other Victors and undertaking similar duties. However, as your path to Victory is unconventional, so shall your position. The events of the Patriot Games are strictly confidential. You are forbidden to disclose their nature, anything that happened during them, or the identities and fates of your competitors. The story given to the public is merely that we resurrected you because of public opinion and as recognition for your civic-mindedness and patriotism. It is for this reason that we have included Mr. Flickerman. He has been given clearance in order that he may ensure that the media keeps to the corrected version of the story.

"As for your duties, they will be twofold. You may continue your modeling work and take up residence in the Victor's Village. Each year, you will come to the Capitol along with the other Victors. There, in recognition of your unique talents, you will serve as head stylist for all the Tributes. You will assist them in superficial matters such as cosmetics, posing, proper angles, and playing to the crowd. In addition, you will serve as substitute mentor for the unfortunately incompetent District Nine until the possibly, likely very distant, day they can replace you. I'm sure you look forward to it as much as we do," he finished.

"Of course. I'm very grateful," I said, smiling modestly. I had another advantage over Steel. Models were masters of fake emotion. It had always been my life's work, and now it always would.

* * *

I was nervous my first time meeting the other Victors. As far as they knew, I was a poser who couldn't hack it and got resurrected for looking pretty. I was the runt of the Victors. But when I bumped into Hyden as Peridot and I were on the way to a pre-Games meeting, he looked at me sympathetically.

"Oh, hey Rhoda. That was pretty hardcore. Nice," he said, and he went on ahead of us. I looked at Peridot in confusion. She smiled.

"Titian said you weren't supposed to talk about the Games. He didn't say nothing about me." I blanched, so she went on. "Don't worry, I only told the Career Victors. They know what side their bread is buttered on. I didn't want them thinking my mentee was a wimp. I have a reputation."

* * *

I saw a lot of Panem as a Victor, even more than I saw as a model. I saw the forests of Seven and the mountains of Twelve. It was a beautiful country, full of variety and majesty. There was nothing good I could say about the government anymore, but they couldn't spoil that. And not everyone in Panem approved of them. Steel certainly didn't, and I'd seen plenty more rebellious Tributes over the years. They always died, but they kept coming. In Steel's time, there was something worth fighting for, and some of it still remained. Panemians were resourceful, inventive, friendly, and tragically hardy. The Capitol wasn't the entirety of the nation. As the next Games approached, I found something of my old patriotism creeping back. Not for the tyrants that terrorized the nation, but for the nation that kept going in spite of them.

* * *

 **Aw yeah, I got this finished before my sister got home and I would have had to wait until after Christmas. That was even more fun than I expected. I think I'll do something like this for a normal SYOT. I'm also glad Steel got some development. She's pretty cool. But of course the main event is Rhoda. The pair from Nine better be ready to run.**


End file.
